Border Offers Powerful Backdrop to
Historic Law Course Partnership
While some find the borderlands a surreal confluence of
culture and myth, the U.S.-México border is home to very real
impacts on laws both countries follow.
That backdrop provided an opportunity for an historic
partnership between TAMIU and the Texas A&M University
School of Law, resulting in the inaugural offering of
“Borderlands Law: Contemporary Legal Issues Relating to the
U.S.-México Border,” this past summer.
Professor Stephen Alton,TAMU School of Law associate
dean, led the course.
A select group of School of Law, students and TAMIU
undergraduate and graduate students, enrolled.Together, they
addressed a range of topics including trade, transportation,
business and banking transactions, immigration, border security,
crime, human rights, oil and gas, energy, water, the environment
and the Mexican legal system.
Dr. Kevin Lindberg,TAMIU associate provost, noted that
State Representative Richard Raymond first conceived of the
idea leading to the innovative partnership.
“Representative Raymond, concerned that South Texas
was legally underserved and that there was no legal education
offered in Texas south of San Antonio, sought a law school
partner to bring a course in international law toTAMIU,” Dr.
Lindberg explained.
The course will again be offered this summer. Course entry
is competitive and limited.
TAMIU Scores Second
Presidential Honor Award
TAMIU was
recognized again with
the Presidential Honor
Roll Award for its
exemplary community
service programs.The
Honor Roll’s Presidential
Award is the highest
federal recognition an
institution of higher
education can receive for
its commitment to community, service-learning and civic
engagement.This is the second year in a rowTAMIU has
earned recognition for its innovative service initiatives and
efforts.
“TAMIU students, faculty and staff were recognized
nationally for collaboratively enriching the general
community through research, teaching and learning. ‘It
takes a village’ to make our community a better place to
work, live and grow as socially responsible citizens,” said
Mayra Hernández, director, Office of Student Conduct and
Community Engagement.
“Partnership TAMIU: An Alliance for Good” is a
distinguished program where agencies sign agreements with
the institution to celebrate a mutually beneficial exchange
of resources to enrich the community and accomplish our
respective missions and goals,” Hernández noted.
“So far, we project that TAMIU has generated more
than $3 million in economic impact through its capstone
service-learning projects, faculty and student lead-research
initiatives, staff and student general volunteerism efforts,” she
added.
Signature partners include South Texas Food Bank,
Children’s Advocacy Center, Ruthe B. Cowl Rehabilitation
Center, Bethany House of Laredo, Habitat for Humanity
of Laredo, Literacy Volunteers of Laredo, Special Olympics
Texas Area 21, Laredo Rotary Club,Volunteers Serving the
Needs, Azteca Economic Development and Preservation
Corporation, Casa Voz de Niños, SCAN, the Consulado
General de México en Laredo, and the United Independent
School District.
Gabriel Eckstein, professor at TAMU, lectures on water and the environment.
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